Improve Employee Engagement with Top Workplaces

There’s more to employee engagement than free lunches, happy hours, and take-your-dog-to-work day. The fact is, engagement can be tough and it requires leaders to commit to making it a priority. So why is employee engagement important? Because it’s also the best way to limit unwanted turnover, boost productivity, and increase your referral rate. A lack of employee engagement is one of the top reasons why employees quit.

Of the 70,000 organizations Energage has researched, we know Top Workplaces have more than double the rate of engaged employees (58 percent) compared to average organizations (31 percent). And at the top 10 percent of Top Workplaces, this number jumps to an incredible 86 percent. Even aspiring Top Workplaces – those who participate in the program but do not win – exceed the U.S. average employee engagement level at 46 percent.

The truth is, there are many different definitions of employee engagement. But at Energage, we choose to define it as “individual passion working toward shared success.”

Data-Driven Employee Engagement Strategies

Successful employee engagement strategies rely heavily on honest, anonymous employee feedback. First, it answers the ever-present need for employees to feel heard and safe. Second, it provides organizations with the insights they need to make people-informed decisions.

The Energage Workplace Survey, the same engagement survey used to qualify Top Workplaces, assesses several factors, including 15 research-based Culture Drivers and these three statements that measure employee engagement:

• Commitment: “I have not considered searching for a better job in the past month.” For someone to be considered engaged, they should plan on staying with their organization. 64 percent of employees at Top Workplaces responded positively to this statement, while only 44 percent of employees at average organizations said the same.
• Referral: “I would highly recommend working at this company to others.” When an employee is willing to stake their reputation on your organization, that shows they feel trust, pride, and commitment. At Top Workplaces, 83 percent of employees agree. But just over half – 60 percent – at average organizations are willing to refer their friends and family.
• Motivation: “This company motivates me to give my very best at work.” When employees are motivated, they see themselves as part of a team. Only 61 percent of employees at average organizations rated this statement positively. Yet at Top Workplaces, this number leaps to 82 percent. That’s a lot of unleashed potential!

Employees who respond positively to all three of these statements have passion, energy, and commitment. They’re engaged, and they’ll go above and beyond for great places to work like your organization. Top Workplaces have clearly cracked the code.

Build Engagement Using Employee Survey Insights

In addition to determining the nation’s Top Workplaces, Workplace Survey is an employee engagement survey that enables organizations to leverage data insights while earning credible, authentic employer recognition awards.

Successful employee engagement programs are informed by qualitative, objective data. These insights help organizations identify opportunities for improvement, build on strengths, and pivot when needed.

Survey insights can also be leveraged to attract top talent. Featuring employee feedback and culture strengths on your careers page is a great way to build your employer brand and give job candidates a glimpse of what it’s like to work for your organization.

Top Workplaces participants have a competitive edge because they can compare their results to similar companies based on size, industry, and role. They use these benchmarks to compare themselves to top-performing organizations over time.

Additional Benefits of Top Workplaces Participation

If you’re wondering how to improve employee engagement, becoming an aspiring Top Workplace is an excellent start. Organizations that participate in successful employee engagement programs like Top Workplaces discover a wealth of benefits that extend beyond the clear positives of improving company culture, including:

• Valuable survey insights to inform data-driven people decisions.
• Attracting the right talent with better employee recruitment efforts.
• Minimizing unwanted employee turnover and improving employee retention.
• Build a strong reputation and employer brand.
• Improved business outcomes and a return on investment.

Building a healthy company culture that supports employee engagement takes work and perseverance, but the rewards are well worth the effort. You can also look to Energage for guidance and support. Our experts can help you to:

• Plan your strategy and tactics for putting activities into motion.
• Provide action planning based on survey insights.
• Brief your senior team on employee engagement survey results.
  Facilitate training and change workshops.
• Help with internal communication efforts.